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The General Cinematography Thread

PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
in General Movies & TV Posts: 3,675
I did Google this to see if there is a good thread to discuss cinematography in general, not just Bond. I didn't find one.

With that said, what are some of your favourite shots in the history of cinema? Feel free to post pictures (or links, if Bond cinematography).

Have fun, and maybe we'll all find a new great-looking film to watch.
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Comments

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited February 2016 Posts: 17,687
    We all know the greats (Lawrence Of Arabia, 2001, Blade Runner, etc.), but there's a little strange movie that never got much attention due to studio interference called Supernova that I thought was rather strikingly photographed...
    http://www.qwipster.net/supernova.jpg
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited February 2016 Posts: 23,883
    I know it's generally considered a PoS, but Waterworld is quite stunning to look at.

    If you haven't seen them already, Gravity and Collateral are really good too, as is The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Fincher's version)..

    If you really want to get blown away, watch Baraka. No plot, just amazing visuals.
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    Baraka.... that one sounds interesting.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    edited February 2016 Posts: 45,489
    APOCALYPSE NOW is loaded with iconic shots. This is true for most Coppola films, regardless of DOP.

    BRAM STOKER S DRACULA and the Godfather films being other favourites.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    Andrew Laszlo is awesome. The Warriors & First Blood look pretty amazing IMO.
  • ThighsOfXeniaThighsOfXenia
    Posts: 1,595
    Godfather II looks so damn good it's unreal. Gordon Willis, man.

    But we all know the obvious ones. Mann's feature length Miami Vice from '06 is stunning and one of the more visually unique movies you're likely to see.

    In The Mood For Love (pretty much anything Christopher Doyle shoots)
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    I think both Sin City films tale the cake.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,786
    Among spy films I'd pick Sidney J Furie's The Ipcress File (1965) for some truly great cinematography:

    http://vashivisuals.com/cinematography-ipcress-file/
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    edited February 2016 Posts: 45,489
    As loathed as it is, The Spirit had some striking visuals. I absolutely love it.

    Frank Miller was probably the only one who could capture the work of Will Eisner the way he did.
  • ThighsOfXeniaThighsOfXenia
    Posts: 1,595
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    I think both Sin City films tale the cake.

    I think Sin City is visually sumptuous, but a lot of that is green screen work etc, and not necessarily that of a cinematographer.

    Whenever someone asks me why I think the Oscars are a laughable load of shit I simply remind them that Life of Pi won for cinematography, when 85% of that movie is digital effect. Don't get me wrong, that film is gorgeous, but it should have won (and it may have) for effects work etc, not cinematography.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,454
    ThighsOfXenia wrote: »
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    I think both Sin City films tale the cake.

    I think Sin City is visually sumptuous, but a lot of that is green screen work etc, and not necessarily that of a cinematographer.

    Whenever someone asks me why I think the Oscars are a laughable load of shit I simply remind them that Life of Pi won for cinematography, when 85% of that movie is digital effect. Don't get me wrong, that film is gorgeous, but it should have won (and it may have) for effects work etc, not cinematography.

    THIS. This right here. Thank you.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    ThighsOfXenia wrote: »
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    I think both Sin City films tale the cake.

    I think Sin City is visually sumptuous, but a lot of that is green screen work etc, and not necessarily that of a cinematographer.

    Whenever someone asks me why I think the Oscars are a laughable load of shit I simply remind them that Life of Pi won for cinematography, when 85% of that movie is digital effect. Don't get me wrong, that film is gorgeous, but it should have won (and it may have) for effects work etc, not cinematography.

    THIS. This right here. Thank you.
    Yes, THANK YOU!
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    ANGEL HEART was amazing. No cgi there.
  • Mathis1Mathis1
    Posts: 6,799
    Chrisisall, that movie Supernova you mention, was that by director Walter Hill, and he disowned it? Just that you mention The Warriors, which was Hills. He worked with Andrew Laszlo a few times. Have you seen Southern Comfort? Laszlo managed to make a swamp look beautiful! And Streets of Fire, which is one of my guilty pleasures movies. Love it!
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    The Revenant. Thanks to Creasy47, I learned it was Emanuel Lubezki who did this. Amazing !EON, if you can t get Deakins back, hire this guy!
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Chrisisall, that movie Supernova you mention, was that by director Walter Hill, and he disowned it? Just that you mention The Warriors, which was Hills. He worked with Andrew Laszlo a few times. Have you seen Southern Comfort? Laszlo managed to make a swamp look beautiful! And Streets of Fire, which is one of my guilty pleasures movies. Love it!
    I've been a fan of his since Hard Times. But Southern Comfort is hard for me since they show the pigs having their throats slit for real...
    :-O
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    chrisisall wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Chrisisall, that movie Supernova you mention, was that by director Walter Hill, and he disowned it? Just that you mention The Warriors, which was Hills. He worked with Andrew Laszlo a few times. Have you seen Southern Comfort? Laszlo managed to make a swamp look beautiful! And Streets of Fire, which is one of my guilty pleasures movies. Love it!
    I've been a fan of his since Hard Times. But Southern Comfort is hard for me since they show the pigs having their throats slit for real...
    :-O

    Well, that's disgusting.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    PropertyOfALady wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Chrisisall, that movie Supernova you mention, was that by director Walter Hill, and he disowned it? Just that you mention The Warriors, which was Hills. He worked with Andrew Laszlo a few times. Have you seen Southern Comfort? Laszlo managed to make a swamp look beautiful! And Streets of Fire, which is one of my guilty pleasures movies. Love it!
    I've been a fan of his since Hard Times. But Southern Comfort is hard for me since they show the pigs having their throats slit for real...
    :-O

    Well, that's disgusting.
    It was supposed to foreshadow what was gonna happen to the characters, and they poo poo-d us animal lovers by stating that they just filmed real backwoods people killing hogs in their usual way... still it took me right out of an otherwise good movie.

    [-(
  • ShardlakeShardlake Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 4,043
    Of recent got to give a mention to Sicario, Deakins is the man, the cinematgraphy in this film is astounding.

  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    Agreed. It is an awfully beautiful film.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Sicario was indeed very beautifully shot.

    I personally liked Frank Griebe's work on The International, starring Clive Owen. It had a very cold, industrial aesthetic.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    bondjames wrote: »
    I personally liked Frank Griebe's work on The International, starring Clive Owen. It had a very cold, industrial aesthetic.
    Yes, a very underestimated film on all levels IMHO.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,690
    @bondjames I went to see 'The International' on the big screen when it was released in 2009. Hadn't seen the trailer, didn't know the plot, I had just seen a couple of pics of Clive Owen on rooftops in Istanbul, and looking tough in Germany. The film completely blew me away. As you said, top notch cinematography, intense action scenes (especially that shootout in the museum), great acting from Clive Owen and a killer soundtrack.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Agreed @DaltonCraig007. It remains one of my favourite films in the thriller genre from the past 10 years. Highly recommended for those who've not seen it. Interestingly, it's the kind of film that gets better every time you watch it, imho.

    That Guggenheim shootout is one for the ages.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,690
    @bondjames I'm going to watch it tonight paired with another favorite of mine - 'Lord of War'.
  • TroyTroy
    Posts: 338
    The English Patient
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    @DaltonCraig007, I like Lord of War as well - very underrated film. One of Nick Cage's best. Bridget Moynahan was incredible too. I wonder what happened to her.
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    I'll have to add "The International" to my watchlist. Lord of War too.
  • dogrowup007dogrowup007
    Posts: 108
    Sleepy Hollow (Burton, 1999) - cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki
    The entire atmosphere, but certainly the shots of the coach crossing the screen in autumn colours, and the shot of the Tree (also great cudos for the production designer, Rick Heinrichs)
    North by Northwest - cinematography by Robert Burks, who also filmed Rear Window, Vertigo and other Hitchcock greats
    That shot of Cary Grant entering the UN Building, standing in the field before the cropduster comes after him
    In the Mood for Love - cinematography by Christopher Doyle
    Each time Maggie Cheung walks along that wall for another takeaway rice dish - pure poetry
    La Giovanezza/Youth - cinematography by Luca Bigazzi
    Those alpine meadows splash from the screen, making that natural environment enhance the sense of alienation and isolation.
    Io sono l'amore - cinematography by Yorick Le Saulx
    Tilda Swinton walking around Milan in great solitude, shot from a low angle
    Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer - cinematography by Charlie Lieberman
    The overall gruesome and menacing atmosphere
    The Elephant Man - cinematography by Freddie Francis
    Never saw so much tones in a B&W movie
    Carol - cinematography by Edward Lachman (also filmed Far from Heaven)
    Wonderful how the grain of the pellicule adds warmth to the image, and makes it tangible
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    dogrowup007 wrote: »
    Sleepy Hollow (Burton, 1999) - cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki
    The entire atmosphere, but certainly the shots of the coach crossing the screen in autumn colours, and the shot of the Tree (also great cudos for the production designer, Rick Heinrichs)
    North by Northwest - cinematography by Robert Burks, who also filmed Rear Window, Vertigo and other Hitchcock greats
    That shot of Cary Grant entering the UN Building, standing in the field before the cropduster comes after him
    In the Mood for Love - cinematography by Christopher Doyle
    Each time Maggie Cheung walks along that wall for another takeaway rice dish - pure poetry
    La Giovanezza/Youth - cinematography by Luca Bigazzi
    Those alpine meadows splash from the screen, making that natural environment enhance the sense of alienation and isolation.
    Io sono l'amore - cinematography by Yorick Le Saulx
    Tilda Swinton walking around Milan in great solitude, shot from a low angle
    Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer - cinematography by Charlie Lieberman
    The overall gruesome and menacing atmosphere
    The Elephant Man - cinematography by Freddie Francis
    Never saw so much tones in a B&W movie
    Carol - cinematography by Edward Lachman (also filmed Far from Heaven)
    Wonderful how the grain of the pellicule adds warmth to the image, and makes it tangible

    Welcome to the forums! And thank you for the insightful recommendations.
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